英国高校上演“泡沫大战”

　　圣安德鲁斯大学是苏格兰最古老的大学，也是英国的第三所大学，其悠久的历史仅次于牛津及剑桥大学。11月21日，该校迎来一年一度的“葡萄干星期一”。这个节日源于该校过去的一个传统：一年级的新生在11月要向学长们献上葡萄干，感谢他们的帮助。如今，葡萄干已被美酒和泡沫大战代替。泡沫大战每年都会有，吸引了不少学生参加，这一活动有助于刚入大学的新生们快速地、轻松地融入大学新生活。

　　These frolicking freshers look like there's nowhere else they'd lather be.

　　In a bizarre ancient tradition, hundreds of first years had a massive foam fight at Scotland's St Andrews University yesterday.

　　The event was part of the annual Raisin Monday celebration, which is believed to date back to when the university was founded in 1413.

　　First years paraded into St Salvator's Quadrangle, known as 'The Quad', in fancy dress, before the 30-minute foam battle kicked off.

　　Students were left covered head-to-toe and the foam was so thick it was used to style hair during the skirmish.

　　Raisin Monday weekend is designed to help new students integrate more easily into university life.

　　It comes from the time when freshers were 'adopted' by senior students and even now each first year student is invited to join a 'family' of senior students.

　　They are encouraged to drink as much as possible and carry out various forfeits.

　　The tradition dates back to the early days of the university, where Prince William was once a student.

　　New students would give senior students - known as 'guardians' - a pound of raisins in gratitude for their help in adapting to university life, in exchange for a receipt written in Latin.

　　Failure to produce such a receipt could result in a dousing in the local fountain.

　　Nowadays, the raisins have been replaced with a bottle of wine and the dousing with foam.

　　In a break with tradition, the new students sometimes present a gift to older students in exchange for the receipt.

　　Guardians have been known to present large items such as canoes, brass beds and once a bath tub as receipts in return.